Two Down…

…One to go. The Mets are up two games to none over the Dodgers in the NLDS. I guess I’m rooting for a sweep, even though that means I won’t have a game to go to on Sunday. I’ll be at Dodger Stadium Saturday, in the front row of the pavilion section in the outfield. Sunday, if necessary.

Let’s Go Mets!

The first half or so of pictures from my trip are up. More to come when I have time, which means possibly Sunday if there’s no baseball game. Gallery.

totally confused all the passing pihranas

I seem to start every other post with something along the lines of, “Wow, I haven’t posted in a while.” Yeah, I’m good at blogging.

If the Braves sweep a doubleheader from Philly, and the Mets beat the Marlins today, the Mets clinch the division. If not, it’ll happen in the next couple of days anyway. At least I hope it will, I want it to happen before I leave the country. I’m also rooting for the Dodgers to take the wild card, not win the NL West, so the Mets will play them in the first round (it could happen if the Dodgers win the division, wild card comes out of the East, and Cards finish with a better record than LA, too, but it’s easier if the Dodgers just get the wild card). If that does happen, home games one (and two, if necessary) at Dodger Stadium will be a Saturday and Sunday, and I will be there for sure. Assuming the Mets finish with the best record in the NL (which they will), it would mean I’d get to see them in LA.

Update: The Phillies beat Atlanta in the first game, so no clinch today. Oh well.

I’m going on vacation today, flying redeye to JFK tonight, and then Friday out of New York to Geneva, Switzerland. I’m going to a wedding there Saturday and Sunday with my parents, and then spending the next two weeks driving around with my father and our cameras. Hopefully, there will be a lot of nice stuff in the gallery shortly after I return. Even if I don’t, it will still be a great time and I’m sure my father will get some nice shots.

I’ve slowly been getting back into poker. Very slowly. Played a $9k guarantee at FTP last week, and went out a bit short of the money. Played some of the new cap NL games there, too. Not seriously, though. I played the .05/.10 with a $3 cap with Drizz, both of us at the table with over $1000. Due to the cap per hand, there’s no maximum buyin. The very first hand I got dealt the hammer and pushed “all-in” for $3. Called in two places, by some random hand and 66. A 7 on the turn and I stack two players. Fun game. I’ve also been playing the 1/2 HORSE at Stars, on Wil‘s suggestion, and it really is a goldmine. Lots of action, bad players, and of course bad beats. Very profitable. I guess it helps that the very first hand (o8) I got dealt JJxx on my posted blind, saw a final board of JT447, and was against TTxx and J4xx. $50 profit on the first hand, at 1/2. I also scooped a stud8 hand with just a pair of fives, no low, after betting my four low/four flush draw all the way to seventh street. I clicked check/fold on seventh, but it checked through. He had a pair of fours.

I have also been spending a lot (too much? nah) time playing Dead Rising. I finished 72 hour mode, and beat overtime without getting knocked out, so I’ve seen the true ending. Things left for me to do are a few achievements in 72 hour mode (saint, transmissionary, full set, psycho collector), and survive in Infinity mode for 7 days. I don’t know when I’ll get around to doing those things. I think it’s about time I move on to another game. Dead Rising is worth owning an Xbox 360 for, though.

I guess that’s it for now. In two hours, I leave for the airport.

Last weekend, I went to lovely Bakersfield and 108 degree heat… to go bowling. It was the California State Bowling Tournament. I didn’t do so well in the tournament, shooting 569 and 564 in the singles and doubles events, and then 514 in the team event the next day. The lanes were tougher than they have been at Zodo’s, but that’s no excuse. I should be able to adjust. I finally did figure out the shot the third game of the team event, and managed to break 200 that game, so you can get an idea how bad the first two were. I had a good time, despite the terrible bowling.

There was on bright spot, which was the Masters qualifier. It’s a scratch tournament, with qualifying chances every Saturday until the week before the event. At the time of this posting, I’m number 31 on the qualifying list. It’s going to be cutting it very close for actually qualifying. I’m pretty much dead money in the tournament anyway, but it would be fun.

Except I’d have to go back to Bakersfield.

X		X		9	/	X		8	1	X		8	-	X		X		8	/	X
29		49		69		88		97		115		123		151		171		191

X		8	/	X		X		X		7	1	9	/	X		X		X	8	/
20		40		70		97		115		123		143		173		201		221

X		X		X		X		X		X		5	-	7	2	X		X	8	-
30		60		90		120		145		160		165		174		202		220

9	/	X		X		X		X		8	1	9	/	9	/	X		8	/	X
20		50		80		108		127		136		155		175		195		215

X		X		X		X		X		X		9	-	X		4	/	X	9	/
30		60		90		120		149		168		177		197		217		237

9	/	X		X		X		X		X		7	2	X		X		X	9	/
20		50		80		110		137		156		165		195		224		244

Series: 1328   Average: 221.3

Saturday night, after the Masters qualifier, I went to play some live poker. With the help of the free wireless internet connection in the hotel, we found Golden West Casino only a few miles away. It was a pretty nice room, and most importantly, well air conditioned. They had a bunch of limit games, and 1/2 ($100max) and 3/5 ($300max) NL games going. I got on both NL lists, and ended up getting a 1/2 seat first. The game was decent, if a little slow. Trying to loosen things up a little, I straddle the third or fourth time I’m UTG. A few people limp in, and I bump it to $14. I get one caller from the cutoff or button. I bet the Q33 flop, and push all-in on the 7 turn, and get called. I tell him he’s good if he’s got a 3, and turn over my straddled aces. He shows 8s, and I river an ace for good measure.

I left the game up around $75, after getting rivered by a 2 outer in a $220 or so pot and rebuying. Not a bad few hours of poker.

Since being back, I’ve bowled twice more, shooting 681 (over 3) Monday, and 842 (over 4) on my birthday Tuesday. I’m 27 (hammer!) for a whole year. In July, including the awful three series at the state tournament (but not the midnight drunken bowling at the Orleans in Vegas), I’m averaging 210.8 over 36 games. I’m pretty damn happy with that.

A bunch of us in IRC were talking about music we were listening to, and the result of the conversation was that I created a WPBT last.fm group. If you’re a poker blogger and use last.fm, go join! And dammit, brdweb there’s nothing wrong with Billy Joel. He’s awesome.

One last thing: In preparation for my trip to Europe later this year, I got a new toy for my camera. A ballhead tripod mount (BH-40 LR) and L-Plate (B20D-L) from Really Right Stuff. They kick ass. Pictures in the gallery.